Pilfering Parables
by lavalieres
Summary: Jing, the King of Bandits, wanted to get his hands on the famous Philosopher's Stone, and he thought it'd be easy... but he'd never thought he'd have to contend with the Stone's OLDER BROTHER. Ed and Al just wanted to get home. [xover with KofB: Jing]
1. Chapter 1

Another fic co-written with my itoko. This time, featuring Jing from his anime and the Elric Brothers from Fullmetal Alchemist. Note: It might help to take a peek at _Luminary Larceny_ first, since this is along those lines, though not connected with that fic. Also, my itoko and I own neither _King of Bandits: Jing_ nor_ Full Metal Alchemist_.

* * *

**Pilfering Parables  
By Ankhutenshi and Halys**

**

* * *

**

"Well, that was a waste of time," Kir groused, sagging into the shoulder of the boy he was riding in. "We didn't learn a thing!"

"That's not true," was the calm answer of his yellow-jacketed partner. "We learned that the Philosopher's Stone is no longer in Ishvar."

Kir snorted. "Come on, Jing, they threw rocks at us!"

"They've been through a lot," Jing answered with a shrug. He raised his hand to shield his eyes and gazed across the harsh glare of the desert sand. "You can't expect them to be too welcoming to outsiders."

"Welcoming would have been flowers and wine! We got rocks!" He ruffled his feathers and sighed dramatically, lifting into the air and clasping his wings together wistfully. "Even the ladies threw rocks, Jing. Those lovely ladies with their beautiful eyes, the color of wine..."

Paying little mind to Kir's reminiscing about the gorgeous women in Ishvar, Jing seemed thoughtful. Even though they hadn't found the precious item there they were seeking, they had still come up with some clues -- no thanks to the hostile inhabitants of that ruined city. Even the Bandit King, who prided himself on being where he usually wasn't welcome, hadn't wanted to extend his stay any longer than necessary.

"Hey, are you even listenin' to me, Jing?" Kir grumbled, swooping down to clip the young man upside the ear with one wing. "I said, there's something up ahead!"

---

The heat of the desert was stifling, and the heavy coat Ed was wearing was not helping matters. He did not consider taking it off, however, as he stooped to shovel more sand out of the pit he had created. "That's it, I'm not taking you anywhere, anymore!"

"Nii-san!" Came a shout from below the sand. "It's not my fault!"

"All right, all right... just hold on." With a clap of his hands, the sand dispersed, revealing a tall suit of armor. "C'mon, Al. We need to get going. And the next time you sink, I'm leaving you there!"

"Uh, nii-san?"

Ed rolled his eyes, but swung his leg backwards, and kicked the suit of armor squarely in the chest. Before the armor could react, Ed stepped back and crossed his arms. A cascade of sand spilled out of the armor. The alchemist crossed his arms and smirked. "So, ready to go?" he asked.

The suit of armor nodded. If the features could change, one would assume that the armor would be frowning in disapproval. "Hey, nii-san? What's that up ahead?"

"It's just the sun reflecting off the sand, you should know that, Al." growled Ed, and they plodded along. The whole mess in Lior was over, but they still had the problem with avoiding the Amestrian army. With Al as the Philosopher's Stone, any contact with the military could lead to problems. Especially since the Führer was a homunculus. Still, the Elric brothers were in decent spirits. They had dealt with a lot, but the road was still long.

"I'm telling you, nii-san! There's something up ahead. It looks like someone in a yellow coat. Do you think they need help?"

"Al, we shouldn't talk to people. Besides, anyone out here by themselves would have to be crazy."

"Like us?"

"Shut up, Al."

---

"Jing --"

"I'm listening to you, Kir." Indeed, the black-haired one had caught sight of the large black shape against the wavering desert. When it didn't fade he knew it wasn't a mirage, but he wasn't sure what to make of it. The chance of anyone else wandering out here alone was a little too much on the side of fantastic coincidence. "Maybe we should go introduce ourselves. We could use some directions anyway."

---

"Al, we don't have time to give insane people directions."

"But, nii-san..."

Ed rolled his shoulders, and tilted his neck. There were a few cricks and he winced. The joint where his automail met his skin was hurting and would need a good rub soon. Oh, how he hated the heat. "Fine, but we can't hang around all day. I don't want the colonel catching up to us."

---

Jing put on a friendly smile as they approached, adjusting the small bag over his shoulder. Kir settled onto his shoulder, and then gave a surprised squawk. "Hey, there are two of them. I didn't see the short one before..."

"Be nice, Kir," his human partner chastised with a chuckle. "I'm sure they're saying the same about you..."

---

Before they were in earshot of Jing, however, Al and Ed were arguing over who the character in the ridiculous yellow get up was.

"You don't think it's a relative of Scar, do you?" Ed asked, glaring at the approaching figure. He had seen enough of the now deceased man's jacket to see slight similarities.

"No, I don't think so. He only said he had a big brother, who died." Al shook a leg, dislodging more sand.

"Oh. Well, whoever they are, they're funny looking."

Jing lifted a hand in greeting as the two groups met up. "Hi there," he said. He couldn't figure out why anyone would wear that much armor in the middle of a desert -- wouldn't he sink into the sand? -- but he supposed it didn't matter. "Are you guys lost?"

"We were just about--" Al started before Ed jabbed in the chest plate.

"What are you doing out here? Don't you know this is a desert? With no water? And no people?" Ed emphasized each new sentence.

"Nii-san..." the armored-boy hissed, trying to placate his brother.

"A desert?" Jing repeated in surprise. "Really? I'm awfully glad you told us. We might not have known otherwise, eh Kir?" The black albatross snickered a bit, but didn't speak up.

Ed merely growled. He shot a glare up at Al, who stepped forward. "Are you lost? Is there any way we could help you find your way?" The voice emanating from the suit of armor was kind and compassionate, though it seemed to echo slightly.

"We're just sightseeing," Jing said vaguely. "Never been to this region before. We're not really lost, just wondering what else is in the area... where are you two headed?"

"Home..." replied Ed, equally vague. "So, you're not from Amestris, then?"

"Aquavitae," Kir supplied helpfully, grinning.

There was a pause, while Ed and Al took in what the bird said. Suddenly, the suit of armor let out a scream, and attempted to hide behind his older brother... rather unsuccessfully. "Nii-san! The bird is talking! Is it possessed?"

"I... I don't think so..." said Ed, equally shaken. "Your bird did just talk... right?"

Jing's eyebrow quirked slightly... most people didn't take so badly to Kir's gift of speech. "Yeah, he talked," the Bandit King said casually. "Sometimes, you can't get him to shut up."

"Jing! Why I aughta...!"

"Maybe, Kir," Jing chuckled, poking the albatross, "but we know you won't." He fixed his gaze on the two brothers. "You know, you look really ridiculous like that. Calm down, his beak is -- well, whatever that saying is."

"Who're you calling ridiculous?" Ed retorted, glaring at the other young man. "We're not the one wondering around aimlessly in a desert, with a talking bird."

"You should be nicer, like your big brother," Jing said mildly.

It took a moment for the comment to sink in, then, with a jumble of limbs, Ed sprang forward, screeching nonsense about being so small he blended with the sand. He was held back at the hood by Al. Over the din, Al said, "Actually, he's my nii-san."

"Whoa!" Kir squawked. "What's his problem?"

Jing surveyed the two again, then shrugged with a smile. "Big brother, my bad. Anyway, seeing as how we're 'lost' for the moment, as you put it, can we tail along with you guys until we get to the next town?"

Ed continued to grumble, glaring at Jing. Al nodded, however, and beckoned them to follow. The shorter brother forged a path in the sand around Jing, as they began the trek, pausing only to reconsider a swift kick to Jing's face. Al shot him a warning look (one that Ed could interpret from the enigmatic features of Al's armor).

"C'mon, then. We don't have all day," growled Ed.

"Yes, it's quite a ways until we reach the edge of the desert. After that, there are a few villages that we'll be passing through. Would you like to stop there, or do you need a guide for later?" Al supplied, his voice polite as usual.

"'Cause if you're expecting one... Ow! Al, what'd you do that for!" cried Ed, as Al rapped a heavy fist on his older brother's head. Ed rubbed the bump that was beginning to form.

"Be nice, nii-san."

"Depends on if something catches our eye or not," Kir snickered, an odd sound coming from a bird.

As Ed rolled his eyes, Al cocked his head to the side. "Are you looking for something?" he asked. Behind him the desert passed, their footprints disappearing as the hot, arid wind blew past them.

Jing hummed a tune under his breath before answering, "Souvenirs, I suppose. Amestris, you said this country was called? It seems like a nice place."

Al laughed nervously, while Ed snorted. "Sure, if you like a strong military."

"Nii-san.." Al murmured, softly and with warning. In response, Ed shrugged. "What my nii-san means is that Amestris is ruled by a strong military. They... er... go out of their way to take care of... er... people."

"Now, if you're looking for a country with the largest population of alchemists, you're in the right spot," Ed added. "Like me, Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist!" he boasted.

Al sighed. Ahead of them, the ground was becoming rocky, and gained elevation. In the distance loomed green mountains.

"Alchemist?" Jing repeated with curiosity. "Like a scientist?"

Both Ed and Al stopped in their tracks. The older brother burst out laughing while Al scratched the back of his helm. "Um, not quite sir. You can be a scientist, but not have the ability to be an alchemist. You see, an alchemist takes one object, and using the principal of Equivalent Exchange, turns it into another. For example... uh, nii-san?"

Ed abruptly stopped laughing, though he continued to smirk. He clapped his hands together, and with a crackle of energy and a "shing" of metal, a long and very sharp sword extended from his right hand. The white glove that he had been wearing tore apart, revealing that his entire right hand was metal as well. "Here, by using my arm, I was able to extend the existing metal into a sword. I can only do this by using something I already have. For example, I can change the sand into glass, but only because they are made of the same basic material. I couldn't just turn wine into water."

With another clap of his hands, the metal sword receded, leaving his normal automail hand. With his other hand, he dug into the pocket of his crimson coat to bring out another glove, which he used to cover his right hand again.

Jing appeared fascinated by the whole demonstration. "And everyone here can do that?"

"No, some people only have a small amount of talent while others don't have the talent at all." Al said, watching his brother shove his hands in his pocket and stride forward of the impromptu group. "My nii-san, he's considered a genius, but only because he works hard. He also has a lot of natural talent that helps him. We have friends who, while being talented as well, are not at the level of my nii-san. Plus, their expertise extends to only one area of Alchemy. We also knew another man who could only perform one type of transmutation, or what we call the act of performing Alchemy."

The younger Elric brother paused, as if in remembrance of the man he spoke of. After all, Scar was only recently dead, if he could be called that.

Up ahead, Ed turned back, and pointed forward. "Oy, Al, we better hurry if we want to get out of this desert before nightfall. I'd say the forest up ahead is about five miles away."

Jing noted the fondness in which Al spoke of his older brother's accomplishments and gave a bit of a smile. "That's really something. Hear that, Kir? We're in the presence of someone famous. What are famous people doing wandering around in the middle of a desert, I wonder..."

"For reasons of our own," growled Ed, who was suddenly behind Jing, with his hands on his hips. He smirked, eyeing Jing. "What about you and your talking bird? My brother and I have told you quite a bit about ourselves and our country, but we don't know anything at all about you! Care to share a bit? Like, your name, for example?"

"Jing," the young man said cheerfully. "And this is Kir. Now we know each other."

"Jing... funny name." Ed replied, and then turned his back on the other young man. "C'mon, Al. We better hurry."

Al strode forward, his long legs giving him an advantage as he hurried forward. But, he didn't move past Jing. "Sorry about my nii-san... He's, er... I'm not sure how to put it." If he could, Al would've been smiling good-naturedly. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Jing-san. It's always good to meet new people on our travels."

Jing's head tilted to one side as he watched Al walk, almost like he was listening to something. There was a peculiar expression, but it vanished after a moment, replaced by his usual bemused expression. "It's nice to meet you too, except your brother forgot to give us your name."

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm Al! Alphonse Elric. I don't have a flashy title like nii-san has, but I'm an alchemist too! Would you like to se--"

"AL!" Ed shouted, interrupting them suddenly. His eyes locked with Al's, and he gave a shake of his head. His features were set in a fierce frown.

The suit of armor seemed to slump in defeat. "Never mind," he murmured, then brightened again. "Anyways, I'm an alchemist like nii-san, but I'm not as good. One day, though, I'm going to be just as good as him!"

"I'll bet you've got lots of power stored up inside," Kir said cheerfully, leaving Jing's shoulder for a moment to perch on Al's steel arm.

"Uh..." replied Al nervously, trying to shake Kir off.

The motion dislodged the albatross, who humphed and spread his wings, lifting into the air to survey the area. "Fine, fine, no more compliments. Yeesh!"

Despite being significantly shorter, Jing didn't seem to have any trouble keeping up with Al's long stride. "Don't worry. Kir's been in a bit of a sulk since there haven't been any ladies around."

"Um," repeated Al, nervously. "Sorry 'bout that..."

Ed merely snorted, and beckoned them closer. Their surroundings had roughened now, sand giving way for grass and rocks, and ahead were trees. "What kind of bird likes women?" He asked, skeptically.

Jing laughed at that, the sound making him seem younger somehow. "Kir is special. Don't worry about it; it takes a lot more than that to get on his nerves."

"I heard that!" The albatross called down.

"Good! Stop eavesdropping and find the path," Jing answered, as though this sort of banter was completely normal.

"We don't need your bird to find the way, you know," Ed countered, smirking again. "Even if he is... special."

Al murmured a "nii-san" again in warning. "He's sorta right, though. We do know the way. All you need to do is follow us and we can show you."

"True enough," Jing acknowledged, "but if we come back this way, Kir will remember the route. Unless you plan on escorting us indefinitely?"

"No, that's all right," replied Al.

"No kidding. The sooner we get rid of these jokers, Al, the better," Ed supplied.

Little more was said until they left the desert behind, and Jing tilted his face up to the cooling shade from the trees which were steadily growing denser. "Ahh, that's better. Aquavitae's got a couple of deserts... I prefer the forest, myself."

"We do too," said Al, turning to the shorter, young man. "We're from an area with trees, but there's also a lot of farm land. We like green things so much better than the desert. Right, nii-san?"

Ed nodded mutely, his eyes focused on the path before them. He was keeping an eye out for anyone who might try to sneak up.

The Bandit King did not miss Ed's behavior. "Expecting company?"

"You never know with this area..." Ed replied vaguely. "You could meet bandits any where along the road..." Ed turned, glancing slightly at Jing, before turning back to watch the path.

"Terrible risk, there being bandits on the road," Jing said, nodding sagely.

"We caught one once!" Al added, almost bouncing as he walked along. "He tried to steal a lady's purse, but we got him." Ed nodded again, smiling at Al.

"You must have a nose for trouble then!" Jing said to Al, "I'll bet you can spot a criminal miles away."

"Oh, look nii-san... The stars are coming out. Do you think we should stop for the night?"

The older Elric brother glanced up into the sky as it peaked between the openings of the forest canopy. It was colored the dark blue of twilight, with a star blinking once in a while. The path they were following was becoming increasingly difficult to see.

"Yeah," said Ed. He stepped off the right side of the road, and walked about 100 feet to a clearing. "Here we go. You don't mind sleeping on the ground, do you Jing?"

In response to Ed's inquiry, the grey-eyed young man shrugged, "Personally I prefer trees, but the ground is fine." He let the small knapsack slip from his shoulders to his hand, looking around the clearing evaluatingly.

Ed shrugged and slumped unceremoniously to the ground. Al, meanwhile, searched about the clearing for a few loose sticks and other wood for a fire. He brought it all back to the others, and set about preparing a campfire. Al paused only to hand Ed a small rock. The older Elric brother, rock in hand, clapped and with the spark he had created, started the fire. Soon, a merry crackling was heard in the clearing.

"All right, Al. Would you like me to keep watch first?" The question was more out of routine than anything. They both knew that Al could not sleep.

"No, that's fine, nii-san. You should rest."

Ed nodded again, and curled up on the ground, using his cloak as a covering. Meanwhile, Al turned to Jing. "You're welcome to rest too, Jing-san. I'll keep watch."

"I thought I'd have something to eat first," Jing said, rummaging through his bag and pulling out a few small bars wrapped in paper. He offered one each to Ed and Al. "They're not just for Por Vora, after all."

Both Elric brothers gave him an inquiring look. "Por Vora?" they asked in unison, as Ed readily grabbed the offered food. Al took the chocolate as well, though hesitantly. He would have to find a moment to sneak it to Ed.

"Por Vora are about this big," Jing said, holding his hands up to indicate a small creature about the size of a basketball. "They're pink, biggest eyes you ever saw, and absolutely shy. Oh, and they blow up if they get too scared."

Ed paused, mid-bite. "Weird.." Muttered Al, voicing Ed's thoughts. While Jing was distracted with his story, Al hastily passed his candy over to Ed, who took it greedily. "I've never heard of those. Are they common where you're from?"

"The most we had was Kimbly," Ed added solemnly.

"They used to be," Jing said, looking a bit regretful, "but they're getting rarer. People use them for mining and excavation, because they're ten times more powerful than dynamite."

Al sighed sadly. He had always been fond of cute animals. "I'm sorry. Is there any way of stopping them? Don't you have alchemists or anything?" Ed appeared concerned as he munched on the chocolate.

"Aquavitae doesn't have... quite the structure that Amestris has, from what Kir and I have seen," Jing answered. "I guess the proper term would be martial law. Each city has its own laws, its own people in charge. People there do anything they want."

"Are there any people who can help?" Ed said, around a chunk of candy.

Jing didn't answer, popping a piece of chocolate into his mouth instead. Half the bar, however, was wrapped up and put aside. When he finally did answer, it was with a small shrug. "Nobody wants to step up."

Ed growled with frustration, while Al stroked the fire unnecessarily. "Stupid adults..." he muttered.

The Bandit King gave a wry chuckle at the reaction. "Something like that. Kir and I are used to moving around a lot, so most of the new towns aren't a problem. Actually, some of them are pretty nice. You just have to pick up the local rules quick."

He finished his bit of chocolate and propped his hands behind his head, leaning against a tree. "So you two are headed home, you said. What do alchemists do that takes them so far away?"

"Travel..." muttered Ed. Al shifted slightly. "That is to say, we travel to learn about different types of alchemy and what can be used. A trek for knowledge, so to speak..." It wasn't a total lie. Two years ago, that was all that Ed and Al had done. They were traveling, now, for a different purpose.

"That sounds very noble," Jing laughed. "I'm sure your family is very proud of you two, then."

The Elric brothers silenced, both looking into the fire, though not seeing it. "We don't have a family..." Al finally murmured.

"Al... Don't..." Ed said, frowning at Al.

The expression of perpetual amusement slipped from Jing's face, and for a moment he seemed genuinely regretful for his words. "Sorry. I didn't mean to... remind you of anything bad." Unconsciously, his hand slipped into one of the many pockets of his strange yellow coat, as though reassuring himself that whatever was within was still there.

"Don't worry about it," said Ed. He grabbed a nearby stick, and stoked the fire vigorously, sending sparks into the air.

"Nii-san..."

"Never mind, Al. Look, Jing. We have our path, and our feet, and even while our family is gone, we will continue down our path. That's all that needs to be said."

"That's a good way to live," Jing said quietly. "But at least you two have each other, right?"

The Elric brothers looked at each other, and a soft smile, one that was rarely seen, slipped onto Ed's features. "Yeah..." Then, Ed shook himself, and turned back to Jing. "How 'bout you, traveler. What brings you to our part of the world?"

Out of nowhere, Kir swooped down into the clearing, interrupting any response. "Hey, what's with all the long faces?" He squawked, and Jing seemed to rouse himself.

"Oh, we were talking about the Por Vora," Jing answered, retrieving the half bar of chocolate he had saved for his companion.

"Poor things," Kir said out of habit, and then began eating the food eagerly.

"You've got a lot of interesting legends around here," Jing answered Ed's question after rolling his eyes at the hungry albatross. "We just thought we'd stop by and see which ones were true."

"Oh, like which ones?" Al inquired, leaning forward. Ed ignored the conversation, choosing, instead, to settle down to sleep. Al would be enough to entertain the two, he figured. "We know a few, if you have some questions!"

"Well, like those metal limbs, like your brother's arm and leg. I've never seen anything like that before. I guess that's not so much a legend, but..."

Al quirked his head to the side, shooting a glance at Ed, who was already snoring quietly. "How did you know about nii-san's leg?"

Jing tilted his head, exactly like he had done when he'd matched strides with Al earlier that day. "His gait isn't even," he answered, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's heavy."

"And you could tell that by how he walked?" Most people were oblivious to that fact, never noticing the metal limbs until the Elric brothers pointed them out.

"Jing's pretty observant," Kir said, around a beakful of chocolate.

"A good trait, most of the time. Though, I hope it has taught you to be cautious. Nii-san is observant too, but when he notices something he doesn't like, he jumps up and takes action. Some times, before he has all the information."

"Sounds like Kir when he spots a pretty girl," Jing needled his feathered friend. "But I think your brother had the right idea, Al. I'm going to turn in for the night. Wake me if you want me to keep watch for a while."

"You're more than welcome to sleep, Jing-san. I'll keep watch tonight," Al said softly. He shifted once, to sit cross-legged in front of the fire. Soon, he was silent, letting his mind drift as it did each night while Ed slept.

Jing might have preferred trees, but Kir preferred a warm bed and a lovely lady bearing room service, if given the choice. In absence of these things, however, he made do by flopping into the crook of Jing's arm to use it for a pillow. Then he grabbed the edge of the yellow coat for a blanket; and after casting a slightly wary look at the unmoving form of Al by the fire, burrowed into the makeshift nest to sleep.

The movement caught Al's attention, interrupting his thoughts, and he turned to watch the bird snuggle into his master's coat. Gently, he lifted a large metal hand and reached out to pet the bird. "Goodnight, Kir-san," he murmured softly, though the voice sound echoed through the armor.

* * *

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Another fic co-written with my itoko. This time, featuring Jing from his anime and the Elric Brothers from Fullmetal Alchemist. Note: It might help to take a peek at _Luminary Larceny_ first, since this is along those lines, though not connected with that fic. Also, my itoko and I own neither _King of Bandits: Jing_ nor_ Full Metal Alchemist_.

* * *

**Pilfering Parables  
****By Ankhutenshi and Halys**

* * *

Dawn was approaching as light began to filter in through the trees. At the makeshift campsite, most of the travelers were still sleeping. Near the fire, Ed had moved to rest his head in a depression of grass. The mark appeared to have been of where something heavy was sitting, but had left. Then, soft, but heavy footsteps rang in the cool morning air as someone approached. Alphonse tiptoed into the clearing, with a bundle of wood in his arms. He neared the dying fire, and added a few logs, urging the flames to grow again. When he was satisfied, he set the remaining logs nearby and moved back to his seat near Ed. Lifting his elder brother gently, he sat back down, and then carefully cradled Ed's head into his lap to keep sleeping.

There was a small rustle from the yellow coat on the other side of the fire, and a black feathered head poked up, then wiggled free of his partner's arm. Kir ruffled his feathers all over, and yawned -- something not easily managed with a beak. Seeing Al awake, he flapped over to the armored brother. "Morning already, eh?"

Al rose a metal finger to his helmet--to his lips--to signal quiet, and then pointed to Ed. He nodded. "Yes, it's morning, but nii-san is a late sleeper, so we'll rest a while longer," he whispered.

Kir cocked his head to one side, then lowered his voice slightly. "Jing's like that some days. If it ain't important, he ain't waking, you know?" He almost hopped onto Al's arm, but remembered the poor reaction the younger Elric had to it the day before. "Your brother was pretty uptight yesterday. Everything ok?"

"He's just worried about me," Al replied, looking down at his brother. He let his hand rest on Ed's head, and began to gently stroke his brother's hair. His large fingers carefully worked out tangles after Al had released Ed's hair from its braid. "He's very protective of me, because we're both working for the same goal."

Kir regarded the red coat the alchemist was wearing for a blanket, then back at Jing. "They're kind of alike, aren't they?"

Al's gaze shifted from Ed to Jing. "Yeah, in a way. Though, I don't think Jing-san gets angry at getting called short."

"Nah, but he's got his trigger points," The albatross snickered. "That's something fun to see."

A chuckled emanated from the armor. "Nii-san will spazz, even if someone's not talking about him. He'll take offense at anything, but I think he does it for attention." Al leaned forward, taking care not to disrupt his snoring brother. "He also hates milk with a passion," he confided.

Kir was quiet for a moment, then tilted his head. "What is it you're running from, Alphonse Elric?"

Al froze, staring at the bird. "What are you talking about?"

"You two were moving pretty fast yesterday," the black albatross said reasonably. "Much more urgent than if you were just eager to get home. If you were trying to get to someone, you wouldn't have stopped overnight. So what are you trying to get away from?"

Apparently, Kir was a very intelligent bird. There was a pause before Al spoke again. "We... the army is after nii-san," Al murmured, keeping his voice low, as if someone might be listening in. "And me..." he added as an afterthought.

Kir have Al an appraising look. "Well, you do sort of stand out. If you'd --" He stopped mid-sentence, feathers ruffling. "Uh, hold that thought. Be right back." And with that, he flew up into the canopy.

Al watched as Kir took off, but he remained silent. When the bird was out of sight, Al glanced down at his brother again, and continued to gently pet him. "Nii-san.." he said quietly. His brother shifted, and flopped onto his back, with his head still in Al's lap. Al leaned forward, and carefully pulled Ed's shirt down, so he wasn't sleeping with his belly out.

"Uhh. Al?"

The armor boy's gaze moved back up to the canopy. "Yes, Kir-san?"

"You know that really large army you were talking about last night?" Kir's voice was oddly conversational.

"Yes..."

"Were we waiting for them to show up and escort us?"

Al jerked suddenly, a surprised cry leaving him. He shook his brother, willing him awake. "Nii-san! Wake up!" The elder boy jumped, rising unsteadily to his feet.

"Wass goin' on?" he growled, rubbing his eyes.

"Kir-san said the army is approaching!"

"Can't be..." Ed replied, slowly becoming more awake. His eyes traveled the clearing as he began to remember where he was. "They were all turned into the Sto--" His amber eyes fell on the prone figure of Jing, and he suddenly clamed up. "I mean, are you sure?"

Kir came spiraling down through the foliage, landing on his partner's back. "Jing! Jing! Time to go!"

Jing sat up, hair looking even more tousled than usual. "What is it, Kir?" He asked, shaking his head alert. He swiped his arm at the bird, who dodged easily.

"We've got company," Ed stepped in. "And I'd prefer if we kept this simple. Al and I don't have time to waste."

Nearby, Al had already gotten into a fighting stance, his arms rigid as they crossed over his chest. His knees were bent, ready to spring. Ed stood like wise. "Should we run, nii-san?" Al asked.

Ed turned to Jing. "Can you and that bird of yours fight if we need to?"

"Don't worry about us," Jing said, smirking, suddenly wide awake. "It was getting boring around here anyway."

Ed nodded, and took a fighting stance similar to his brothers. Instead of crossing his arms, however, he clapped them together, using alchemy to extend his automail into a gleaming sword. Through the foliage of the forest, they could hear a large group approaching. Shouts were heard, and were getting louder.

"Remember Al," Ed growled, glancing at his brother. "No alchemy. Let me take care of this."

Al was silent for a moment, then said "Yes, nii-san."

"Here they come," Kir warned, and flew to Jing's side.

The group of four stood poised and ready to meet whatever threat was coming for them -- but astoundingly, it wasn't blue dressed soldiers which burst through the underbrush, but a pair of frightened, dark-skinned people. A young man and woman pulled up short at the sight in the clearing.

"Oy!" Cried Ed, diverting the pair's attention to himself. "Are you all right? Why weren't you with the others?" He spoke of the other people from Lior who had escaped through the underground tunnels before the attack by the Amestrian army. Before either of the two refugees could respond, more shouts came through the trees, coupled with gunshots.

"Help us, please!" The woman cried. Al beckoned them towards a corner of the clearing where there was a thicket of brushes.

"Hide in here," He directed the two into the bushes. "We'll take care of them."

"Get ready, Al!" shouted Ed above the din.

A quartet of soldiers with guns drawn came crashing through the trees. There was a moment of silence as they assessed the situation, and then one of them shouted, "The ones Major Armstrong said we're looking for!"

"Who are you talking about?" shouted Ed, preparing himself to dodge bullets. "What am I talking about? It doesn't matter, 'cause you're not taking anyone!"

There was a sound of sliding metal, and a blade eerily similar to Ed's locked into position along Jing's right arm. "Remember this isn't our fight, Kir," he warned. Nevertheless, he didn't back down, moving slightly to put himself between the now-concealed couple in the bushes.

Ed shot a glance over to ensure his brother was all right with the refugees. "Short and simple, remember?" he said, turning now to Jing. Then, a small group of soldiers burst through the trees into the clearing.

"Oy!" Ed shouted, directing the attention of the soldiers to himself. "What do you want? Can't you leave a few travelers alone?"

"This is territory of the Amestrian Nation and we're searching for known terrorists!" Replied one of the men, as he hefted his weapon to his shoulder. "And you happen to fit that description!"

Smoke began to fill the air as the soldiers began firing. Ed zoomed forward, dodging the gunfire on swift feet. His red cloak fluttered behind him as he jumped, and landed a high kick to one of the soldier's faces.

_Known terrorists?_ Jing thought, even as the gunmen broke formation and tried to regroup. Seeing that he too bore a weapon, one of the soldiers turned his aim on the Bandit King. _Obviously the rule of Amestris is guilty by association!_ Jing thought, bringing his blade up to deflect the bullets before rushing towards his attacker. Three quick slashes and the rifle clattered to the ground in pieces.

Meanwhile, Ed was making short work of the other enemies. Two were already down, either unconscious, or with broken bones.

"Fullmetal, you traitor!" cried one of the soldiers, taking aim. Ed swung around, flipping over and landing on his hands before springing to his feet again, only to slices through the barrel of the man's gun. The metal clattered to the ground, just as Ed drove a well aimed knee into the soldier's chin. The man collapsed, unconscious as well.

Jing had likewise dispatched his target into unconsciousness; with the exception of surely having a splitting headache when he woke, however, the man was unharmed. Seeing that there were no more soldiers coming -- _this army must be stretched pretty thin if there's no backup,_ he mused -- Jing turned to make sure the couple hiding in the bushes were all right.

"Hey," he said, a friendly smile on his face. "Are you two all right? It looks like you won't be chased now..."

The two dark-skinned Lior citizens nodded mutely, glancing between Ed and Jing.

Al stood, offering the two a hand up, which they took. "You'd better be more careful," he warned gently. "Try taking this road due north, and you should catch up with the others."

The man and the woman nodded again, and scurried on. Ed, however, was standing near the prone men, surveying his work.

"Ne, nii-san... don't you think you overreacted a little?"

Ed glared at one of the groaning men.

The curved blade slid back into Jing's coat sleeve, as Kir examined one of the fallen soldiers before directing a smirk towards Al. "So, you really weren't kidding when you said the army was after you and your brother, eh?"

"We'd rather not go into detail... too long of a story." Ed grumbled, kicking the body of a soldier. "Anyway, our work is done here. Let's get going. That is, if you're planning on going with us?"

Jing grinned rakishly, holding his arm out for Kir. "I suppose we'll have to now. They were shooting at us too, for being in the company of terrorists. I guess we're outlaws already, Kir, and we haven't even finished sightseeing!"

A giggle escaped Al as Ed grumbled an assent. "All right... Just don't let that dumb bird get us in trouble by talking or anything."

"Nii-san! That was mean! Kir-san is very nice. It think it's good that he can talk!" As he spoke, Al lagged behind, walking into time with Jing. "I like animals a lot," he said, and if it were not for his armor, he would be smiling.

Kir blew a raspberry at Ed (no easy feat with a beak, surely) but he didn't seem overly upset by the comment. Still, a hard edge entered Jing's grey eyes for a split second at Ed's words, but it was gone again a moment later, and he looked up at Al with a smile. "Really? I don't much picture you as a dog person... cat, maybe?"

The suit of armor nodded. Then, to Al's own amazement, he was almost skipping. "Nii-san won't let me have a pet, 'cause we travel so much. But I want a kitten. They're so cute!"

"I have a pet," Kir wisecracked. "I call him Jing. He's sort of messy, but you get used to it."

Al laughed again. "Nii-san is kinda messy too! You should see him eat!" The younger Elric leaned forward, whispering conspiratorially. "He even sleeps with his belly hanging out. I usually have to cover him up so he doesn't get cold!"

Even Jing laughed at that, casting a glance up the path at the elder Elric brother, who seemed to be in an even worse mood than yesterday. "What's the matter, Ed?" The Bandit King called, "Don't you have any cute stories you want to share?"

Ed shot a glare at Jing, but when he saw the look Al was giving him, he relented. "Fine... When we were younger, whenever we got in a fight, Al would sit by the river until I came and got him." A soft look crossed Ed's usually harsh features. He kicked at a rock at the ground, not wanting the others to see his face. "And even if it was my fault, he'd forgive me. No matter what I'd done against him. Al always forgives me..."

"Nii-san..." Al murmured, staring at his brother.

Ed growled again, and kicked the dirt. "All right, there's your sappy story. Happy?"

"Very happy," Jing answered, without any trace of mockery in his voice. "You two have been together all this time, and that's really good. Even people who are really close fight sometimes, eh Kir?"

The bird bobbed his head. "Yeah, Jing and I sometimes get into it. Usually it's over something really stupid. Or someone really pretty," he added with a laugh. "But it works out once we both cool down again."

Ed remained silent, however Al nodded. "The same with us. We don't fight very often, but we always work things out in the end. Nii-san is really kind, deep down. He's just too embarrassed to admit it. You know, he's the one that kept me alive whe--"

"AL!" shouted Ed, turning suddenly. His face was white, but he glared at his brother. "Don't..."

"I... sorry, nii-san. But Jing-san seems trustworthy enough! You let me tell Rose-san and she didn't even like you! Please?"

Ed continued to glare at Al, then turned suddenly, his shoulders slumping. "Fine... " he murmured.

"Kir and I are good at keeping secrets," Jing said solemnly to Al. "Have you ever heard of the Ghost Ship of Blue Hawaii?"

Al shook his head. "No..."

"Exactly."

The suit of arm tilted his head to the side, but raised a hand to it's face, as if to smother a laugh, though the sound echoed inside. "What was it?" Al asked.

"A ghost ship," Jing answered, jumping up to grab an apple from an overhanging branch as they walked. "Actually, it was a casino ship, run by ghosts. Overall, it was headed by Greed."

Spinning on his heel, Ed faced Jing. "You knew Greed?"

Apple midway to his mouth, Jing paused. "Well, 'knew' is a little personal. Encountered, I guess. Greed and Desire sort of ran the place together. I thought you'd never heard of it?"

"We knew Greed-san," relied Al.

"I killed him," Ed added. "Desire... who's that though? Is she a homunculus? I've never heard of her..." The older Elric seemed to be pondering.

"Maybe that's just another name for Lust-san?" Al asked, turning to his brother.

"Maybe... Oy, Jing, what did Desire look like?"

Jing shook his head, seeming confused by Ed's claim of killing Greed. "They didn't exactly have forms... they just controlled all the gold in the ship. And the souls thought they were playing with the gold, when really it was the other way around."

Ed waved a hand, shaking his head as if Jing was a confused child. "No, no. I killed him. I'm sure. After I pushed him into alchemy circle, near his old bones, he had thrown up the pieces of the Philosopher's stone, making it easier for me to kill him. And Lust... well, she's still out there."

"Maybe the homunculus in Jing-san's world are different than they are here, nii-san?"

"Hmm... that could be."

"What's a homunculus?" Kir asked, then said, "Oh, who cares! Introduce me to any lady named Lust!"

The Elric brothers stared at each other for a moment, and then at their companions. At once, they began to talk, describing each homunculus while miming with their hands.

"Lust-san is almost nice, but she's still evil. She has fingers that can stab--"

"Gluttony is just gross. He can eat anything, the huge pig. He tried to eat Al once, but I got--"

"Wrath used to be our friend. He's Sensei's so--"

"Envy, that bastard, he's annoying as hell and can change into anything he wants--"

"And Sloth..." Both Ed and Al silenced at the mention of the homunculus they had created.

"Anyway, they're evil. You want to stay away from them," Ed said flatly. "They're made up of pieces of the Philosopher's Stone, so they can't die, unless you kill them a certain way."

"The Philosopher's Stone?" Jing repeated innocently.

"Yeah, it's this legendary object that allows the user to ignore the Laws of Conservation in Alchemy," droned Ed, reciting a familiar line. Al shot a nervous glance at his brother, but Ed didn't seem concerned by Jing's question.

"That sounds like quite a treasure," the Bandit King said musingly, then grinned at Ed. "But I bet you wouldn't need anything like that, would you? Your brother was telling us how talented you are at Alchemy."

Al continued to shift nervously. Ed, however, glared at Jing. "Why would I have need for something like that? It's myth."

"Er... nii-san..."

"But if you have to ask," Ed continued. "We were looking for it so that I could give Al back his original body." His tone suggested that Jing wouldn't want to question further.

Jing took a bite of his apple and chewed it thoughtfully before answering. "I can understand that, I guess." He looked up at Al sympathetically. "Must be kind of hard living like that, huh? Be a little drafty, I'd think."

A gasp echoed through Al's armor, while Ed gave Jing a calculating stare. "You knew he was hollow. How? Same way you knew my leg and arm aren't real?"

"I've handled lots of people in armor before," Jing answered. "Al's only got a single echo when he walks. A foot inside armor makes two echoes, one on top of the other."

"Told you Jing was observant," Kir added.

Placing his hands on his hips, Ed smirked at Jing. "Well done. I bet you feel rather smart. Yes, Al's armor is empty."

"When we tried to resurrect our mother, when we were young, nii-san lost his leg, and I lost my body. He gave up his arm, then, to attach my soul to one of the suits of armor in our house. If it hadn't been for his quick thinking, I would've died," Al said, the pride for his brother evident in his voice.

Ed shrugged. "It's my fault that you're in that armor, Al. I'll never forgive myself for that."

"Nii-san..."

"Anyway, that's our story."

Jing had matched Ed's smirk with one of his own, but it fell away when Ed mentioned trying to resurrect their mother. A saddened look crossed his face and his shoulders hunched slightly into his coat as he turned quickly to continue walking up the path.

"Heh..." Kir said, having been suddenly left behind. To draw attention away from Jing's abrupt departure, he offered, "It's a good story. You guys should write a book or something."

"Nah... not our thing," Ed replied, looking up at the bird. "What about you and your 'pet'. We haven't heard much about you two."

"Oh, Kir-san, please tell us a bit! I bet you've got lots of good stories!" Al encouraged, offering a shoulder for the bird to land.

Kir settled down on his new, much higher perch. "Haven't heard much about us, huh? Well, me an' Jing have been partners for years now -- ever since I hatched! And Jing was just a little guy at that time... he used to be so cute, too," The albatross snickered. "I guess you could say, we're like... entrepreneurs. Sometimes we do odd jobs for people. We delivered some Por Vora once, which was... fun..."

"Por Vora?" The phrase came out funny from Al, as he tried to work his tongue-er-soul voice around the word. His pronunciation was way off. "That's the animals that blow up, right? Poor things... What other kinds of adventures have you been on?"

"Hmm," Kir said. "Well, there was the masquerade that turned out to be a no-holds-barred tournament. The psycho artist that wanted to finish painting his daughter -- painting _on_ her, that is. And I finally got Jing to give me those castanets that Mimosa made, in Coco Oco..." He clapped his wings together. "Ah, Mimosa… what a klutz, but _sooo_ cute."

"Not bad. But what have you done to keep from starving. Don't you two work or anything?" Ed interrupted, smirking.

"Nii-san, why can't you just listen to Kir-san's stories?"

"What, are you worried we're not paying our taxes?" Kir laughed, jumping onto Ed's head and messing up the blond hair. "We do, uh, charity work."

"WHY YOU LITTLE--" Ed swung his arms in the air, batting at the bird. "Bastard! GET OFF OF ME!"

Al hurried over, trying to placate his brother. "Nii-san! Kir-san is just playing around! Don't hurt him! Nii-san!"

Kir hopped into the air, dodging Ed's flailing arms. "Oops, too slow! Try again!"

"BASTARD!" He shouted again, swinging wildly at the bird in his temper.

"Nii-san! Stop it!"

"THAT STUPID--" Ed's voice dissolved into curses, as he clapped his hands together, and created a earthen cage to surround the bird, who squawked in surprise.

"NII-SAN!" Al shouted again, as Ed smirked at Kir.

A curved blade whipped forward, slicing several times through the cage, almost too fast to be seen. It was reduced to clumps of dirt in mere seconds, and Jing held his arm out for Kir, although his gaze was fixed on Ed warningly. "That's enough," he said softly, although he appeared to be addressing both of them.

Ed scoffed again. "Then tell your stupid pet to keep it's claws off me."

"Nii-san!" Al turned to Jing, bowing in apology. "I'm sorry! Nii-san is rather hot-headed..."

"Al!"

"Nii-san, you are and don't deny it!"

Jing pivoted on one booted foot at Ed's words, grey eyes blazing angrily. "I'm only going to say this once. Kir is my _partner_, not my pet. Got it? Unless you want me to start calling your brother here, your bodyguard."

Ed's hazel eyes narrowed. "I would remind you that Al is not my bodyguard. I can take care of myself. But you need a bird to stay safe, then I guess that's your thing."

Al hurried forward, placing himself between Ed and Jing. "Nii-san! Stop this at once!"

"Al, get out of the way! That stupid bird has been pissing me off since we've met!"

"I'd listen to your _big_ brother, Ed," Jing sneered.

There were few things that really provoked Ed, and comments about his height were one of them.

"WHAAAAAAAAT!" Suddenly, where Ed had been standing, there was nothing but dust. A crackle of alchemic exchange hissed in the air as Ed sent a spike of rock towards Jing. Then, he ran towards the other man, blade withdrawn, ready to take Jing down.

"Nii-san! NO!"

Jing rolled out of the way of the as the ground suddenly exploded in a earthen spear near his feet. A glimpse of red material was all the warning he had before Ed's sword-arm was bearing down on him. Instinctively he brought his own right arm up, blade already extended and locked into place, and the two metals clashed against each other, sparks flying.

"Jing!" Kir landed on Al's shoulder, eyes wide. "What's gotten into you?"

Meanwhile, Ed was letting out a battle cry, engaging Jing in a hand to hand fight. The two blades sang through the air and crashed against each other, each combatant circling the other.

"Kir-san! What should we do?" Al asked the bird, shaking with concern.

"Buy your brother a hairbrush, I don't know!" Kir's feathers were badly ruffled, evidence of his consternation at the moment. He tried to get his companion's attention. "Jing! Jing, what's going on!"

Jing, however, didn't answer. He focused instead on meeting each of Ed's blows. Oddly, he was smirking a bit, inwardly delighted that Ed was no novice with this particular type of weapon. It was unusual to find an arm-mounted sword as the weapon of choice, which was one of the reasons he favored it so much. "Is that all you've got?"

"Why I ought t-!" A clang and a shower of sparks filled the air as Ed responded.

"Nii-san!" Al cried, trying desperately to get Ed's attention. The last thing he wanted was for someone to get hurt. "Kir-san, we've got to get in there and stop them. Do you know of any way to get Jing-san's attention? I can stop my brother, but I don't want to hurt Jing-san."

"HEY, you two!" Kir bellowed. "Your moms called! You're going to be late for dinner if you keep this up!"

Arm mid-air, ready to smash down in another blow, Ed froze. "What did you say?" he asked, in a would-be calm. Jing merely stared, likewise seemingly stunned by the albatross' yell as the color drained from his face.

"NOW, AL!"

The suit of armor moved with amazing speed, grabbing up his brother in a huge hug. "Nii-san, you stupid! You could've gotten hurt or you could've hurt Jing-san! What were you thinking?" He continued to smother Ed in a combination of scolding and mollycoddlings while Ed struggled against his brother's hold.

Kir likewise latched onto Jing's lapels with his talons, hanging from the yellow coat as he used his wings for improvised blinders to block his view. "Hey, calm down partner! Settle down! It's okay... Jing?"

"That was a dirty trick, Kir," The Bandit King bit out, eyes flashing; they showed an old pain, as well.

"Yeah, I know," the bird answered, relieved when the metal sword sheathed back into the yellow coat. "Sorry about that... both of you," he added, directing the apology to Ed as well.

Al released his brother, allowing Ed to shoot a glare at Kir, but he nodded, accepting the bird's apology.

Kir let out an uneasy laugh, trying to dissipate the tension in the clearing. "Wow, looks like we all get cranky when we miss breakfast. How about I find us the nearest town and we can grab a bite to eat, huh?"

Ed shrugged, but turned towards Al. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, nii-san. I was more worried about you! You shouldn't have been fighting like that. I think getting some food is a good idea. Yes, please, Kir-san! We'd really appreciate that!"

"Yeah," Jing answered, casting a hard look at Ed before Kir claimed his attention again with something murmured quietly. "Something to eat sounds fine."

Kir hesitated, as though not sure if he wanted to leave Jing alone with the brothers, then spread his wings and flew up through the canopy again. He spiraled around, until he spotted a few thin streams of smoke rising into the air, about a mile away. "What're the locals like around here?" He called down. "There's a little place, not too far away. Do you think any of those blue soldier boys will be there?"

"Which direction is it in?" Ed grumbled, sending a glare to Jing as well.

"Ah," continued Al. "We don't want to go south. There will be trouble there."

"East," Kir answered. "How far is your hometown from here?"

"A ways..." the older Elric replied vaguely. "Are you planning on tagging along with us the entire way?"

"Mo, nii-san... Granny and Winry-chan wouldn't mind."

"Hrmp. Anyways, our hometown is to the north, war lies to the east."

Kir glided down to settled on Jing's shoulder again. The black-haired young man hadn't missed Ed's 'enthusiasm' in asking if they were going to continue following the Elric brothers. "Maybe not all the way, but at least until we find an unguarded route out of Amestris. What's with the guilty by association mentality here anyway? I'm not usually in trouble in a new city until _after_ something goes wrong."

"It's not really your fault, Jing-san. Please don't think the people of Amestris are all cruel. There are a lot of kind people. It's just right now... there's something terrible that's gone wrong, and there are bad people working in the government. We have some friends in the government as well. Nii-san is actually a State Alchemist, a member of the military. But we're choosing our own path now." The suit of armor striding alongside his older brother spoke solemnly, yet earnestly, as if he believed what he had said.

"Iie. They probably just thought he's an illegal from Xing," Ed cut in, shortly.

"Well, you're obviously recognized on sight, since that soldier called you Fullmetal traitor," Jing said, speaking to Ed at first before turning his attention to the armored brother, "and Al, you don't exactly blend in. Why don't I just pick up some food and we can eat on the way?" Although he looked less than eager, he was obviously trying not to come off as hostile.

"Mmm," Al nodded, wrapping his arms around his brother and covering the blonde's mouth before Ed could spout something crude. "That would be nice."

"If we're getting delivery, Jing, can you bring me back someone petite and blonde? Maybe around five foot, five foot two?" Kir fell easily back into old habits, it seemed, and was relieved when a hint of an exasperated smile crossed his partner's face.

"Yeah, yeah, Kir. Stay here with these two. Otherwise they'll probably turn us in or something." With that, he struck off down the path curving across the hillside towards the small village in the distance.

With Ed still in his arms, Al folded himself down into a seat on the ground. Once Jing was out of sight, Al released Ed, who released a torrent of curses.

"Nii-san..." Al gently scolded. "That's not nice..."

"Hmph. Whatever. I'm going to take a rest. I don't care what the bird does." And with that, Ed folded himself up in Al's large lap, and promptly fell asleep. Al heaved a soft, exasperated sigh.

"Eh... sorry about my brother, Kir-san. He's really not so bad once you get to know him more. A little hot tempered, but he really is a genius and works hard. It was his idea to learn alchemy so we could help people. That's why today, no matter what we do, we try to help others. Nii-san may not seem like it, but that's one of his main goals."

"Nah, it's all fine," Kir said, scratching the back of his head with one wing. "Jing an' I are made of tougher stuff than to let your brother's temper tantrum get to us. But Jing... eh, I don't know. He never acts like that. It takes a lot to get him riled up, but earlier he seemed like he was really mad at your brother." The albatross flopped down on one wide steel shoulder.

"I think it had something to do with you guys talkin' about resurrecting your mom. Jing lost him mom when he was real little. That was a few years before I hatched and met him. The only person who really stuck around for him was Cassis... and she disappeared too. We're always looking for her, but..."

"Ah... I'm sorry, Kir-san, for Jing-san that is. If nii-san knew, he probably would've been nicer. Or would've made the fight more intense, just to prove a point. He does that sometimes. Once, he destroyed an entire false religion, just to prove a point to a girl we knew. It's weird, you know, but that's just how he does things." Al looked down on his brother, who was starting to snore softly. "Nii-san, well, he is what he is. He endured getting automail, which would make even grown men scream in pain (that's what Winry-chan said), just so he could help me get my body back. I want to help him get his arm and leg back too. But... I don't know if I'll be able to do that now..."

The younger Elric's voice became sad as he spoke, a tone of longing coloring his words. "Now... now I might be in worse trouble than before... when I was just a suit of armor..."

Kir cocked his head to one side. "If you were 'just' a suit of armor, you wouldn't be walkin' and talkin'... only a person can do that. And _people_ aren't always human... like you and me. But why would you be in more trouble? I mean, you rust and I molt, but..."

The suit of armor, Alphonse, shook slightly when Kir mentioned the concept of human. "I am human! I... Nii-san says I'm human! I remember, remember when..."

"Hey, hey, I didn't mean anything by it!" The bird held his wings up in a gesture of peace. "I was just givin' an example!"

Al heaved a metaphysical sigh. "I'm sorry, it's just now... well, I'm human but so much more. I just wish that... that all those people hadn't have..." There was a sense that if Al could, his eyes would be welling with tears. His voice rang with the pain that he felt in his very soul, for there was no other way he could feel. "All those people, for me... And Scar-san... Scar-san was just trying to save me. Nii-san..."

The younger Elric passed a large hand through Ed's long, tangled hair. "Nii-san's very worried about me, that's another reason he's so short right now. He's worried that someone might find out and take me away. He's worried, like me, that I might go away... After all, no one knows how long a Philosopher's Stone lasts..."

Kir was silent for a moment, then gave Al an encouraging pat with one wing. "Don't worry there, Al. Nothing bad'll happen to you while your brother's looking out for you."

Al glanced up at the bird briefly, the enigmatic features of his helm seemingly smiling.

"Thanks, Kir-san."

* * *

To Be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Another fic co-written with my itoko. This time, featuring Jing from his anime and the Elric Brothers from Fullmetal Alchemist. Note: It might help to take a peek at _Luminary Larceny_ first, since this is along those lines, though not connected with that fic. Also, my itoko and I own neither _King of Bandits: Jing_ nor_ Full Metal Alchemist_.

* * *

**Pilfering Parables  
****By Ankhutenshi and Halys**

* * *

Once Jing was out of sight from the other trio, the he let the tense expression fall from his face and his gait became upbeat. "Ahh," he sighed, then to no one in particular commented, "Being hostile is hard!"

But the Bandit King had been pleased so far with the result. It had been no coincidence that he and Kir had run into the Elric brothers in the middle of the desert. His journey to Ishvar hadn't produced the Philosopher's Stone, but it had given him a very detailed description. A description which he'd decided was quite accurate, upon meeting up with the alchemists.

Yet he wasn't naive enough to think that he could get information from them about that priceless treasure under the guise of a curious stranger. The brothers were jaded, that much was easy to see, and so he'd chosen an alternative method, one much more duplicitous than his usual _modus operendi_.

The question was… would it pay off?

His feet came upon the path leading down the hill to the village Kir had spotted. There weren't any people moving through the buildings, he noticed, as though everyone was inside. His steps slowed slightly at the gate marking the village limits before stepping inside. He caught sight of thin curtains fluttering; he was being watched.

_The people here are scared of something,_ he thought. _But what? The soldiers in the area? Ed and Al seemed to hint that the military of this land are… overzealous in 'protecting' the people of Amestris._ Jing approached a small stand near the dirt center of the town. "Hello?"

"What do you want?" A nervous voice asked, as a young woman peeked around the doorway of the shop.

The Bandit King put on a smile, as shy girls never failed to brighten his mood. "I was just looking to buy some food. Do you have anything for sale?"

"I… I might have some fruit and… maybe some things for sandwiches…"

"That'd be perfect," Jing answered.

After purchasing enough for four people -- even if Al didn't eat, and Kir ended up mooching off of Jing's share anyway, he felt it would be polite -- Jing stashed the food in a paper sack and left the village quickly. More curtains rustled on the way out, and it was almost like he could feel the collective sigh of relief behind him.

_And I thought Aquavitae had problems. It seems like it doesn't matter what country it is, the people are never happy the way they should be able to be._

With a sigh, Jing concentrated on getting back into the persona of an unhappy outsider, pretending still angry over the skirmish between himself and Ed earlier. It was difficult; such behavior was completely at odds with his easygoing nature. Still, by the time his feet had once again found the path which would lead him back to the clearing he'd left the others in, Jing was sure that his expression once more reflected feigned surliness.

Now if only Kir had been as successful…

---

Al had fallen into a reflective silence and Jing made his way back to their make-shift camp. Ed was still sleeping, oddly finding comfort in Al's cold, metal lap. "Ne, Kir-san, what is it that you and Jing-san are really looking for?" The younger Elric asked, after a moment.

"Looking for?" Kir echoed, sounding just the faintest bit guilty. "Nothing... we're just sightseeing. Jing likes doing that."

The armored boy cocked his head to the side. "In the middle of a desert, Kir-san?"

"Heh, heh," Kir said awkwardly. "Well, I've got terrible sense of direction, you see..." He fidgeted.

"Kir-san, we're friends right?" Al's voice was soft and inquiring. "Nii-san and I have shared a lot with you and Jing-san. I hope that we could learn a little more about you..."

Kir cleared his throat, but was saved from having to answer as the crunch of leaves alerted them to Jing's return. The yellow-jacketed boy strode into the clearing, sweeping his eyes over the scene. "Got some food," he called shortly.

"Great, Jing," Kir replied, lifting off of Al's shoulder with a hurried flap of his wings. "Did you get me a blonde too?"

"Sorry, Kir, they were fresh out." Jing's eyes studied his feathered companion carefully. "What about a red-head?"

The black albatross landed on his partner's shoulder, and forced a smile. "Sure, Jing! I'd take a red-head any day... right Al?"

Again, Al quirked his head to the side. "We don't know any red-heads. Winry-chan, our friend, is blonde. But I don't think nii-san would want you to meet her..."

Jing turned a smile towards Al, although it seemed just slightly predatory. "What, he wouldn't trust our gentlemanly intentions?"

"Probably. Nii-san is very suspicious, as you already know. Plus, he doesn't want our mechanic to get distracted. She's the one that makes nii-san's automail."

"Blonde, surely beautiful, and mechanically inclined!" Kir sighed happily. "Now we definitely have to meet her."

"Yeah, well if you follow us home, then you will, but keep your claws off her, bird." Ed had awoken, and was slowly sitting up in Al's lap. He stretched, and yawned, and then turned a slight glare on Kir.

Kir stuck out his tongue and pulled down one eyelid at Ed. "Nyahhh."

The older Elric brother growled at the bird, but was soon placated by Al, who wrapped his arms carefully around him. "Nii-san..."

Al turned to Jing. "What kind of food did you find in the town, Jing-san?"

Jing approached the brothers and set the paper sack down on the ground, rifling through it. "Lots of stuff for sandwiches, and some fruit too. Oh, and wrapping so we can take any leftovers with us." He offered the sack to Ed. "We'll just split whatever isn't used?"

"That sounds fine. Al, would you?" Ed leaned forward, revealing his tangled mess of hair that used to be in a braid. Al's hands moved from around Ed's waist to begin a gentle combing through Ed's hair, and then began braiding it again. Meanwhile, Ed focused on sorting through the food. He selected what he knew he would like, and left most of the rest for Jing and Kir. Al wouldn't need anything.

Once Ed was done, Jing rewrapped what was left and, with the exception of what he and Kir would eat right now, packed the rest into his backpack. "The people in that village were scared of something," he said as he worked, grey eyes flicking up to regard the Elric brothers. "There's something bigger going on in Amestris than just the military tracking down 'terrorists', isn't there?"

"Mmn," Ed replied, with his mouth full of a makeshift sandwich. "Da miritawy iv f'of corrupfun."

"Nii-san, don't talk with your mouth full."

"Aah, right." Ed swallowed thickly. "Anyway, the Führer is a homunculus. And they were trying to create a Philosopher's Stone by starting wars."

"How would wars create anything?" Jing frowned. Smaller wars had always been part of Aquavitae's history, and in all their travels, Jing and Kir had come across some of the aftermath from such past battles. "So the soldiers hunting you are the corrupted ones?"

"No," Al cut in, shaking his head. "There are many people we know in the military that are good people, who are trying to make our country a good place."

"You see, Jing, the Philosopher's Stone is made out of humans. By sacrificing human lives, an alchemist can create an stone that allows him to do alchemy outside the restrains of the science. By starting wars, it's more likely that people will try and create a stone, and that's what the homunculus are striving for." Ed took another large bite out of his sandwich. "What we're trying to find out is what the homunculi are planning to do with the Stone, once they get it. Because homunculi cannot do alchemy."

"So it shouldn't make any sense for them to want it at all," Jing finished Ed's thought. "Created using human lives... that's awful."

Al's hands stilled in Ed's hair. "Yeah..." He said softly. "It is..."

The older Elric turned to his brother, and patted one of Al's large hands. "It's all right, Al. We'll figure things out..."

"Well," Jing said abruptly, standing. "We should get going. Those soldiers we fought are going to wake up some time, after all."

Shoving the last bit of food into his mouth, Ed nodded. Al quickly finished braiding Ed's hair, and tied it back. "There you go, nii-san." Then, Ed moved out of his brother's lap and stood, as Al did the same.

"Onward again," Ed pointed north, and began walking in that direction, with Al close behind. He didn't wait for the others to follow, but assumed they were behind him.

Jing shouldered his backpack, but noted that Kir wasn't quite meeting his gaze. "Something wrong, partner?" He asked.

Kir shook his head quickly. "Nah, it's fine. Let's, uh, get going."

---

The region had turned quite rocky, and by the increased pace that the Elric brothers now moved at, Jing could only assume that their destination of home, Risembool, had to be close. _We're running out of time,_ the Bandit King thought, but no advantage had presented itself yet.

"How much farther?" He asked.

"A mile or so," Ed shouted back. "We have to cross a stream and go south from there. We're going around, through back country, to avoid the road."

_Then it's now or never,_ Jing thought. With a quick glance at Kir, who nodded, the Bandit King stopped and called, "That's far enough. Stop there… and hand over the Philosopher's Stone."

Both Ed and Al froze in their tracks, and then, simultaneously, turned. "What did you say?" Ed asked, his voice low and cold.

"The Philosopher's Stone. You have it and I want it." A confident, cocky smile crossed Jing's face. "And I always get what I want."

Ed placed his hands on his hips, and shot a quick glance at Al, who had uncertainty in his stance. "What makes you think we have it?" Ed prompted, his voice becoming steadily angry.

"Don't play games, _Edward_," the Bandit King smirked. "Al's been hiding it this whole time. All that talk about wanting to find it and it being a myth… the whole thing was a lie. Just like I lied when I said I didn't know about Alchemy. You really think any word could come out of Amestris without its infamous State Alchemists attached to it? And you, _Fullmetal_, the youngest State Alchemist ever?"

Kir ruffled his wings, listening to Jing's voice but not really hearing the words. _This had better be as good a treasure as stories say it is... this is a high price..._

"Kir-san! Jing-san! How.. why would you do this? Didn't you hear what we said? The Stone... it's horrible! It's--"

Ed sidestepped to his right, blocking his younger brother. "Al, don't bother wasting breath on this two."

"But, nii-san..."

"Al, I said don't. If they want to Stone, well, they're just going to have to fight me for it. I'm not giving away something so precious to me."

"You don't have a choice," Jing replied. He extended his right arm, and suddenly the air was filled with a green light. Feathers fluttered to the ground as Kir's form suddenly changed, becoming long and hard-edged. The avian spine extended, becoming long and whip-like, and ribs clamped like vices onto Jing's forearm. His beak opened like a roaring dragon, aimed at the brothers, and filled with an emerald energy.

_"KIR ROYALE!"_

A burst of energy exploded from the ground as Jing fired at them. Rocks and dirt blasted upward and solidified, barely in enough time to block the blast from hitting both Ed and Al. "Quick, Al, run! Hide somewhere!" Ed shouted above the cacophony.

"Nii-san!"

"Just go, Al!" Ed spun, clapping his hands together as another rock wall thrust up from the ground. Then, he flipped back, landing on first his hands, and then his feet. He clapped again, and his automail arm was extended into a sword once more.

"From everything you've claimed, the Stone's not something you want to be involved with anyway!" Jing said as he tried to flank Ed, expression set in unwavering determination. "With all the power of alchemy, you don't need it!" He raised his right arm, bringing Kir to bear on the blonde alchemist again. "So I'm going to take it!"

"Don't you get it?" Ed screamed back, anger and frustration glinting in his eyes. "People died to create the Stone!" Another wave of energy exploded upwards from the ground as the Fullmetal Alchemist used his surroundings to set up a defensive barrier between him and Jing. "And though I can't change what has happened, I'm not giving away someone so precious to me! Al is more than a rock that can help me achieve in alchemy! He's my brother, and there's no way in hell I'm giving him away. Especially not to a bastard like you!"

Jing's eyes scanned the surrounding forest, but somehow Al had managed to slip from sight; he had to give the younger brother credit, since it couldn't be easy to hide such a large grey body amidst such greenery. Another flare of acidic green light, and he and Kir separated, Jing's sword immediately locking into place so he was not left weaponless.

"Find Al!" The Bandit King shouted at the albatross, before running towards Ed full-tilt, intent on keeping the older brother engaged in battle to give Kir time to locate Alphonse.

Ed, meanwhile, was slowly making his way towards the nearby river. He was sure Al was fine, since they had been in numerous battles together and Al always made it out ok. The fact that he had never beaten Al in a spar was also another fact that assured him his brother would fare well on his own. He noted that the bird took off, but focused on Jing instead.

"You're not getting him!" Ed cried out to the thief again, a smirk beginning to form on his lips. Another alchemic blast shook the ground. "Because even if you can beat me--which you won't!--Al is strong than me!"

Jing's lightning fast reflexes served him well, and he was able to dodge the blasts Ed sent towards him. "In a hand-to-hand fight, maybe," he countered, yellow coat fluttering behind him as he moved. "But there's more than one way to beat someone!"

Kir had been circling, hidden by the treetops, when he spotted Al, concealed in some bushes. It would have been a perfect hiding place, if not for his birds-eye view. Angling his wings back sharply, he plunged down towards the suit of armor, talons outstretched to hook the long strands of hair on the helm. He opened his wings at the last possible second, letting the sudden drag provide the extra power he needed to dislodge the helm from its body.

"Hey!" Al cried out, reaching blindly for his helmet. It flew through the air, and Al managed to lunge himself forward in time to catch it. "Kir-san! Why are you guys doing this? I thought you were our friends!"

Ed had heard his brother's cry from the forest, and his gaze on Jing turned frigid. "Like I said, I won't let you have him. You've picked a fight with the wrong alchemists." He dodged another slice from Jing, and flipped off the jutting rocks to land smoothly towards Al's position. Behind him, he could hear Jing following.

With Alphonse distracted by juggling his head, Kir wheeled in the air, saw the flare of red light emanating from the opening in the armor, and dove for it. _All I have to do is get my talons on that Stone and me an' Jing can get out of here…_

Just as the bird dove in, time seemed to freeze, and all Ed could hear was himself screaming, "ALPHONSE!" A flash of brilliant, blinding red filled the vision of the brawling young men, and then Al body was lying prone on the ground. "Al!" Ed screamed again, forcing himself to move to get to his brother. "AL!"

Spots of red dancing in his eyes, Jing stumbled. Even as his vision cleared, though, he knew immediately that something had just gone horribly wrong; Ed's cries for his brother were proof enough of that and, fight forgotten, Jing ran for the still suit of armor, dread building when he didn't hear the voice of his feathered companion. "Kir!"

Ed was already there, hoisting up his brother and reaching looking inside for what has happened. There, hovering just above the glimmering surface inside Al's armor was Kir, motionless.

Suddenly, Al spoke. "Nii-san... You have to help him..." His voice was faint. "Kir-san... he'll…"

"Al! What about you? Are you all right! Talk to me!"

Jing appeared momentarily stunned by the sight within Al's chest plate. "That's... the Stone?" He reached for the albatross but the red light flared again, not as bright this time, and he snatched his hand back with a hiss of pain. "What's happening! Get him out of there, now!"

"Can't you see I'm trying, bastard? This wouldn't have happened if you would've listened to me in the first place!" Ed shot a glare at the other man then turned back to his brother. "Al, can you move?"

"Nn..." was the response.

"All right... Um, I'll try and get the bird out. Just, ah, hold still." Without hesitation, Ed reached into the chest plate of his brother's armor. He was surprised that he hadn't been rebutted as Jing had been, but didn't dwell on it. Slowly, and with steady hands, he reached further inside. He winced as he felt the flow of alchemic energy weave its way up his limb, but ignored it.

Soon, he felt the wingtip of the albatross, and took hold, not caring much for the bird's comfort. With effort, and keeping the reach slow, Ed was able to extract Kir, and place him gently on the ground next to his brother.

"Nii-san..." The glow inside Al's chest receded to a dull glow. The armored boy slowly sat up and closed his chest plate. "Will... will Kir-san be alright?" He managed after a moment, and when Ed had finished checking Al for any damage.

Jing had gathered Kir into his hands the moment Edward had set the bird down, expression one of numb horror. _This has never happened... this can't be happening!_

He shook the albatross gently, hoping to prompt a response. "Kir...? Partner, wake up! Kir!" Each repetition of the name became slightly more desperate. _Kir… say something… a wisecrack, anything…_ He swallowed. _Don't you dare have left me… not you too…_

Al sat up further, leaning close to Jing as he watched the bird. "Oh, I hope he'll be all right! Kir-san... Please... wake up?" Arms wrapped protectively around Alphonse and Ed leaned over his brother's shoulder to watch as well. The older Elric gazed at the bird for a moment, and then smirked.

"Oy, Jing, looks like your _pet_ got a little tired..."

"You _bastard!_" Jing shouted, red rage stealing over his vision as he tackled Edward, sending the two rolling into the dirt; no finesse or fighting technique this time, the Bandit King appeared ready to beat the alchemist with his bare hands. "He's _all I have!_ It could have just as easily been your bro--"

"Jing," Kir coughed from the ground. "No more chocolate... for you. It makes you... too high-strung."

From beneath Jing, Ed began to laugh. Not a mean or cold laugh, but a genuine laugh. Behind the fighting two, Al stared between Ed and Kir. "Nii-san?" he asked tentatively.

Without much notice, Ed pushed Jing off of him, stood, and dusted himself off. "Can't you tell when your 'partner' is putting on a show? Al always knows when I'm trying to milk attention for all I can."

"Like when you don't want to drink that milk?" Al interjected, seemingly innocently.

"Ah... shut up..."

There was a long moment when Jing simply stared, shock dominating his features, and then with a bellow, lunged for the albatross who scrambled out of the way to hid behind Al. "YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE! I'M GOING TO ROAST YOU ON A SPIT FOR THAT TRICK!"

Ed merely continued to laugh, understanding completely. Many times, like when he had nearly lost Al in the desert on their way to Lior, he had been frightened of losing his brother, only to pass the fear off in anger or humor. Nearby, Al was shouting at his brother to stop laughing and help him as he was overwhelmed by Jing and Kir.

Finally, he gave Jing a swift kick, dislodging him from both Kir and Al. "Oy, that's enough."

Jing got to his feet and sighed, looking first at Alphonse who had refastened the chest plate closed, and then at Ed. "I didn't understand before," he said simply. "I do now."

Al stood, and made his way over to his brother, who stood with his arms crossed. Ed had cast his gaze downwards, allowing his bangs to slide forward and hide his features. "Good," was all he said. Then, he turned and began to head upstream. Al watched his brother take off, but lingered a moment.

"He doesn't hate you..." Al murmured. "I think he wanted you to realize that we can't always have what we want. Like us. We've traveled many miles to find the Stone. And now that it's what I've become, nii-san is a little lost on what to do. You see, we never wanted this to happen, and I'm sure, had you fully understood what the Stone was and it's potential, you wouldn't want it either. Like I said, nii-san isn't a genius for nothing. He'll find a way to help me, without the Stone. Just like I'm sure you'll be able to accomplish whatever you need without the Stone's powers."

Jing watched Ed's retreating back, then looked at Al. "Potential is a funny thing, isn't it?" He shook his head, collecting Kir to his habitual perch on his shoulder, and offered the younger Elric a wry smile. "If he cares, I don't hate him either."

"We need to go, Jing," Kir interjected. "When I was buzzing around earlier up there, I noticed some more of those blue boys." He ruffled his feathers apologetically at Al. "You and your brother are going to run into the military soon."

"I'll make the path a little rougher for them to follow," Jing added, "but that's only going to buy you a little extra time."

"Thanks," Al bowed lightly. He turned and took a step forward, but then turned back. "And I'm glad we met you, Kir-san, Jing-san. I hope that we meet again soon!"

"Count on it," Jing smirked, then flipped Al something small, round and silver. "Oh, and tell your brother to keep this on a chain or something... you never know when there's a bandit around." Then he looked at Kir, and the path. "C'mon, partner... let's see if that nap improved your singing voice any."

A flash of green light, and suddenly the surrounding area was upturned with a cry of, _"KIR ROYALE!"_

Al watched the show, and then turned his attention to the object in his hand. It took him a moment to realize what it was, but when he did, his soul voice gave as close to a gulp as it could. In the distance, he began to hear incoherent screaming.

"Hold on, nii-san! Don't worry! I found it!" And the suit of armor began to run in the direction of the screams.

After that, well, the rest is history.

* * *

To Be Continued…


End file.
